National Mokpo University has raised concerns about the fairness and expertise of the selection process for the new Jeonnam National Medical School, calling for a government-level reassessment.
On September 9, President Song Ha-cheol of Mokpo University and Student Council President Kwon Beom-seok held a press conference at the National Assembly with lawmakers Kim Won-i and Seo Mi-hwa, arguing that the government should review the selection process and evaluation results for the new medical school.
According to Mokpo University, the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City designated the Jeonnam Research Institute as the evaluation agency on August 26. Mokpo University and Suncheon University submitted their medical school establishment plans on August 28. Following evaluations on August 29, results were announced on August 30, showing Suncheon University with 89.15 points and Mokpo University with 87.85 points, a difference of 1.30 points.
During the press conference, President Song highlighted key issues in the evaluation, including the securing of the medical school site, plans for the construction of a teaching hospital, and the expertise of the evaluation committee.
President Song specifically questioned the allocation of 5 points for 'certainty of site acquisition.' Mokpo University proposed a plan for securing state-owned land, while Suncheon University suggested a plan for free leasing of land owned by local governments. Despite these differences, both universities received the same score of 4.83 points in this category, according to Mokpo University.
“A fair evaluation should be based on the plans submitted at the time of evaluation,” President Song stated, arguing that any potential improvements raised after the evaluation should not serve as justification for the initial results.
He also criticized the evaluation of the teaching hospital construction plans. Mokpo University presented a phased construction plan for a 500-bed teaching hospital over 84 months, including a plan for a temporary teaching hospital to provide clinical education before the new hospital's completion. In contrast, Suncheon University estimated a construction period of about 60 months but did not provide a detailed timeline, according to President Song.
Despite this, Mokpo University received a score of 17.63 points for the teaching hospital, while Suncheon University received 17.80 points.
Concerns were also raised about the expertise of the evaluation committee. According to documents released by Mokpo University, of the eight committee members, seven were from the medical field, and one was a financial expert, with no facility or construction experts included. Mokpo University argued that the timely establishment of the medical school and university hospital directly impacts medical education and accreditation, necessitating verification of the appropriateness of the committee's composition.
“The final results for the entire proposal were only 1.30 points apart,” President Song said. “If a qualified evaluation committee had assessed the proposals accurately, the scores could have led to a different selection of candidate universities.” He urged the government to verify the issues in the evaluation process and the appropriateness of the implementation plans and take reasonable actions.
President Song, who expressed his intention to resign from his position, shared his feelings alongside students at the press conference. “I plan to stand with the school community and local residents until this unfairness and its consequences are rectified,” he said, adding, “I will do my best to ensure I am not ashamed in front of the students.”
Kwon Beom-seok, the Student Council President, also appealed for thorough verification by the government.
Kwon emphasized, “The establishment of the medical school is not just a matter for one university; it is a significant issue concerning the health rights of residents in the southwestern region and the future and educational opportunities for local youth. What we want is not preferential treatment for Mokpo University, but a fair evaluation based on proper review.”
He further urged the government to ensure that those who adhere to principles and prepare thoroughly do not suffer setbacks.
Through this press conference, Mokpo University demanded that the government temporarily halt the final confirmation process for the new medical school and reassess the selection process and results. They also called for a public re-evaluation involving experts from various fields related to the establishment of the medical school and hospital.
It remains to be seen whether the controversies surrounding the site acquisition methods, hospital construction timelines, and the expertise of the evaluation committee will lead to further scrutiny at the National Assembly and government levels.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.